If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

i think the merling pick was clearly a BPA move. He's tremendous talent that feel right into their laps and you know that they wanted to upgrade the DE position.

I think they snagged him with the second and thought about picking a QB with the 2a or 3rd pick, if there's no value at QB at 2a they scratch off langford and draft one in the third, because you've got merling and you still can get another DE later to pair merling with a rookie competitor like CK talked about in another thread ... but everything went the way they wanted. That's how i see it

I have to disagree on the "tremendous" talent issue....why did he fall if he's so tremendously talented? Because of a sports hernia? lol Talented yes....tremendously talented? Meh.... Langford looks like the tremendously talented player that fell...Merling wasn't the prospect his former teammate was....Gaines Adams.

It looks like a predetermined position pick, as you and I both suggested, rather than BPA. I would have said Curtis Lofton, Brandon Flowers, and Devin Thomas (although he hasn't done much yet) were better prospects from a talent standpoint....

I have to disagree on the "tremendous" talent issue....why did he fall if he's so tremendously talented? Because of a sports hernia? lol Talented yes....tremendously talented? Meh.... Langford looks like the tremendously talented player that fell...Merling wasn't the prospect his former teammate was....Gaines Adams.

It looks like a predetermined position pick, as you and I both suggested, rather than BPA. I would have said Curtis Lofton, Brandon Flowers, and Devin Thomas (although he hasn't done much yet) were better prospects from a talent standpoint....

i moreso ment tremendous talent for the 32nd pick... a better choice of words would've been tremendous value. Merling had first round potential and the dolphins needed help on the defensive front, it was a no-brainer for the staff even if they liked henne. I'll admit that other valuable players were available like lofton and flowers but their mentality was clearly to get younger and better on both lines...

i moreso ment tremendous talent for the 32nd pick... a better choice of words would've been tremendous value. Merling had first round potential and the dolphins needed help on the defensive front, it was a no-brainer for the staff even if they liked henne. I'll admit that other valuable players were available like lofton and flowers but their mentality was clearly to get younger and better on both lines...

We certainly dictated the draft by signing JLong..., there was a run on LTs..., it was a fluke that Merling lasted as late as he did..., Jason Tuck didn't take off his first year either..., not every DL has instant success..., Mario Williams didn't... so I'm with JT that this was good value at #32..., Merling will make those doubters eat their words... obviously the Regime didn't see that much dif between Matt Ryan Flacco or Henne or they wouldn't have gone the direction they did..., they have talent evaluators...

I cannot disagree that "a" game ball should go to Andre Goodman, I think the job that the front seven did in making the Broncos one-dimensional should not be overlooked. With Ferguson holding down the middle, Landford not giving up any ground and Roth sealing the edge, they didn't give Denver any lanes to run through and forced them to rely on the pass more than they probably wanted to.

Thanks also for the write up on Sintim. I remember talking about him before the season and how I think he would be a good fit for Miami's 3-4 defense. At times this season, Clit has been overly aggressive in trying to get to the QB but does have 10 sacks as a result of it. Has started 46 consecutive games at UVA.

A couple of comments I found very interesting....for one...I trust Jeff Ireland's talent evaluation more than I do Bill Parcells. I've attended the Senior Bowl personally for the past 2 years, and the word behind the scenes down there was that the Miami braintrust fell in love with Henne and had him targeted at pick #32....so much so, that they misevaluated one of the candidates for the #1 pick....as many observers did.....Matt Ryan.

When your team went 1-15, it's time for an EXTREME Makeover! You BUILD the foundation FIRST! BPA might be the proper response for a team with an abundance of talent, but makes NO sense when there is no foundation or solid lines.

After Miami sent David Lee to attend Ryan's pro day workout, why did they balk at the selection of Henne at #32 on draft day, and instead select Merling if they were so intrigued by Henne? Surely they didn't think he would be there at #57? Were they going to select Lanford at #57 if Merling hadn't fell to #32?

It seems like many talented players were left off our draft board...it's the way Parcells approaches the draft...it seems like he doesn't select BPA, but rather has predetermined "positions" at certain slots in the draft.

They are called NEEDS! Parcells always rebuilds the lines first. Being a defense guy it's usually the defense. Fortunately BP doesn't hire "yes" men and is very open to a difference in opinion and the Oline guy, Sparano, got his man.

The Parcells / Groh connection should always be a factor for those of us trying to determine which player the braintrust might be looking at in the 1st round....and Sintim fits the "Bill".....and fills a need.

Linebacker?

So when Sintim was told that Groh ranks him among the most complete linebackers he has coached at U.Va., Sintim knew it was praise not to be taken lightly.

"I "like," linebackers. I "collect," 'em.
You can't have too many good ones."BP

Chad P was the most important signing . . . but man I tell u . . . and i don't think I would be crazy for saying this . . . . as much as he does for this team . . . I honestly think Ferguson's health is more important, this guy just HAS to play and stay healthy . . . however I did see Solai play alot on Sunday, Fergie is so important to this team it isn't funny and he IMO is the MVP of this defense . . . Joey may get the the praise, but Fergie is just as important.

Oh yea, Shout out to Justin Smiley . . . . BEAST, damn imagine this line with Donald Thomas right about now.

I cant believe the turnaround we have so faar this year. I would place the praise for that right on chad penningtons shoulders. Even though I feel without him we would have been much improved, with him we are on the bubble of bieng a playoff team.

Shallow commentary on the J ALLEN interference. J ALLEN had MARSHALL covered very well: there was virtually no separation. MARSHALL gave him a slight push-off. It broke ALLEN's stride, and when that happens at this level, the CB's a dead duck. All of a sudden, ALLEN's 2 yards back and trying to reaccelerate.

It was a well-done push-off, incidentally: a real veteran move. BUT HE GOT CAUGHT.

And THAT is why MARSHALL got flagged. We've all seen a lot worse go unflagged. Why? Because the contact didn't redirect, impede, or place the CB at a distinct disadvantage. That's the criteria, and it's not too difficult to apply, or to understand why a play was/wasn't flagged. If you push off and break the CB's stride, it's easy: so too, when you hold his arm/arms down till the last instant. But the contact which yields nothing, or both players jockeying for position, or the oft-seen getting the feet tangled up, usually go unflagged. Pros know the difference. Crybabies like SHANNAHAN know better too.